Cyclist on the up and up during epic tour

Camera IconPolish cyclist Damien Drobyk touched down in Perth last week and has already completed the first leg of his Perth to Sydney solo cycling trip, arriving in Kalgoorlie on Thursday. Credit: Kelsey Reid / Kalgoorlie Miner

Riding enthusiast Damian Drobyk was enduring freezing temperatures in his Polish home a week ago.

On Thursday, he was sitting on a bench on Maritana Street in Kalgoorlie with a thick layer of sunscreen on his nose, eating ice cream straight from the tub while sweltering in the Goldfields’ heat.

“It’s hot,” he said in defence of his 9.30am choice of snack. “I’m not used to this heat.”

Drobyk had spent the last six days riding from Perth to Kalgoorlie, clocking at least 100km a day.

“Yesterday, 160km,” he said.

“From Yellowdine to here.”

Soon after he was off again, towards Alice Springs and Adelaide and, eventually, Sydney, followed by New Zealand.

The third wheel attached to his bike allows him to carry supplies.

“I want to ride the Great Central Road. These bags are for water,” he said.

“In total my load (which also includes a minimalist tent and sleeping bag) is about 48kg.”

This is his first trip to Australia, but far from his first bicycle trek.

Over the past decade, Drobyk has travelled to North America, the US, Canada, Mexico, India and Ethiopia.

This trip will make Australia the fifth continent he has conquered on his bike, and the 57th country.

It is all part of his grand plan to get to every highest mountain and every highest road on each continent.

The real destination of his 75-day visit to Oceania — Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales.